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Thursday, July 19, 2012

I know what I want to be when I grow up!

Well, I really think it took having cancer and beating it to figure out what I want to do with my life. That and meeting a person in this profession really made the light bulb go off in my head. When I first went to college at UofA (like 15 years ago!!) I went there to become a doctor. I wanted to be a trauma room surgeon. Unfortunately I got caught up in the whole college thing, the sorority life and well, I just didn't really put my heart and soul into getting the amazing grades that I would need to get into medical school, nor did I want to be in school for another 6 years or so. I left UofA, came to ASU and by then I just wanted to graduate. With my hodge-podge of classes I graduated with a degree in Business.

Last summer I met a lady named Natalie (she's a friend of a friend) and she's a naturopathic doctor. I really didn't want her to stop talking the entire time she was talking about her field while giving out medical advice. It intrigued me to no end. I wanted more. The light bulb went off. Maybe this is something I would enjoy? Maybe this is my calling? As you all know I have really been living a healthy lifestyle since I have had cancer. I work out, I eat clean, I buy organic, I eliminated a lot of "crap" from my diet and well, I just care about my health and body and what I put into it. For Pete's sake I had enough chemicals enter my body while I was sick that I need to treat it nicely now! HA! That's what naturopathic medicine does. It treats the cause naturally. Obviously there is more to it than that, but basically there are no chemicals that you can't pronounce entering your body to make you feel better! I could have been treated naturopathically when I was sick and had I had time, I probably would have gone that route, but I didn't.

Upon talking to Natalie and doing some thinking and research and talking with the college I have decided to go back to college and pursue a career in naturopathic medicine. I will finally fulfil my dream of being a doctor, but this time a naturopathic doctor. I hope to specialize in oncology as well. Sounds crazy, huhh? Maybe I am, but honestly it feels right. Everything up until this point has worked out so smoothly, and there have been no hurdles to cross yet. It's as if it's meant to be.

After meeting with an advisor at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, right here in Tempe, AZ she advised me to take 4 classes. 2 of which were pre-requisites I was missing to get into the college (after all that time away from school, I only needed 2 classes!! See...a sign!) Those 2 classes are Bio-Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Yikes! She also recommended that I re-take Human Anatomy and Physiology and also add in there Microbiology. If I can do well in those 2 classes specifically she said I will have NO problem in SCNM. Holy cow I'm going back to school!! I just registered and successfully paid for 2 classes that start August 20th at Scottsdale Community College. I'm taking Human Anatomy and Physiology as well as Organic Chemistry this semester. Classes start at 5:50pm M-Thursday so I didn't have to work out anything with my work schedule. (See, another sign). I am still able to work full-time and be able to take these classes! Obviously my life will be busier but luckily I am pretty good with time management. AND, it's only temporary. 2 semesters. That's it.

My life will completely change when I get accepted into the college, hopefully October 2013, but I can discuss that later. I am just thrilled beyond belief that I finally figured out what I want to do with my life. I have never been more excited to go to school. Who would have thunk it?! Crazy!